1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a webbing lock device used in a seatbelt system for restraining an occupant in the event of an emergency situation of a vehicle and adapted to clamp the intermediate portion of a webbing so as to bring the occupant into a restrained state in the event of an emergency situation of the vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A webbing lock device is provided between an occupant restraining portion of a webbing and a webbing retractor for winding an end portion of the webbing and adapted to stop the movement of the webbing in the longitudinal direction thereof in the event of an emergency situation of a vehicle. Consequently, the webbing is not unwound from the retractor in the event of an emergency situation of the vehicle, whereby the occupant is brought into a tightly restrained state, thereby improving the safety of the occupant.
Notwithstanding, in the conventional webbing lock device, when a pair of lock members clamp the intermediate portion of the webbing, a clamping force is concentrated at a portion of the webbing, whereby there has been a possibility that the webbing is damaged due to this concentration of stress. Furthermore, frictional resistance forces generated between the lock members and the webbing have been low, thus tending to permit the webbing to creep in the longitudinal direction thereof.